Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-05-27
IN A DENSE FOG.
The Celtic Runs Into the Bri-
tannic.
Several of the Latter'S Pas.
sengers Killed.
Five or Six Lives Lost and Many Per-
sons IDjured.-MRngled Bodies Quick
ly Flung Into the Sea.

Five or Six Lives Lost and Many Per-
sons Ipjured.-M MRngIed Bodies Quick
~ Flung Into the Sea.
The steamers Celtic from Liverpool and
Britannia from New York for Liverpool
,ollided May 10, at s. 2j p. m, $50 miles east
Of Sandy Hook, and were compelled to re>
main at Sandy Hook bar till next day,
owing to a dense fog. Four of the Britain.
nics steerage passengers were lost.
The weather at the time of the collision
was calm and sea smooth, with fog at inter-
walls. The Britannia was struck on the port
side and considerably damaged. Her boats
were lowered and filled with women and
children from the cabin and steerage in
very orderly and expeditions manner. 1t is
to their shame that several men forced them
Ielves into the boats. An examination was
made and it was found that the Britannia
was not likely to founder and such boats as
we're within hail were recalled, and their oc-
cupants received on board. The others had
boarded the Celtic A pad was made and
placed over the hole in the Britannic's side,
and she was turned about toward New York,
having arranged with the Celtic to keep COM
pany. The blow of the Celtic on the bow of the
Britannia glanced along the side and re-
bounded twice in its course, smashing two
small boats to pieces, and bending the heavy
iron force pump that stood near the butchers
quarters like q piece of tin. AS the bow
struck the pump it caught a steerage pas,
;enger, crushed him against the iron, and
cut the body completely in two. A little
girl of about II years. named Robinson, who
was with her mother and brother on her way
TO England for a visit was also crushed by
The bow, her face and breast being split open.
The steerage passengers made a stampede
for tie starboard sternboats, but were driven
back by the officers and crew, and the ladies
were allowed to embark first. There was o
sudden rush, mostly by the mea, for the
boats, until Capt. Perry drew his revolver
and threatened to shoot the next man who
Attempted TO enter boat The crew, il c,ud,
ing the firemen and stokers were among III;
most violent in their attempts to jump into
:he boat Several of them succeeded. Al
though there was not sufficient number o.
| ll6 pIeSoI Nelo lOI poSoOASolo1 OhO . ill0L
seized any that they could lay their hands
on The wife of the man who We,
crushed against the pump, when she saw her
husbands body tossed into the sea became
frantic, shrieked that she wanted to follow
him. and would have cast herself over tht
side had she not been restrained by Other
passengers. There was great excitemen
everywhere, the crew being as badly fright
ened as any of the passengers, and under
very little control of their superiors. Col
Grove, one of the steerage passengers, sale
he measured the rail where it was carried
away, and he found it was SO full PAGES, ol
over so feet. Eight or ten people were in
jured by the iron work as it fell, or tn
woodwork as it was crushed in. The steerag
passengers state that the known killed in
clude three men, a woman and the girl, bu
they added their belief that two or thre
others whom they had not seen since the col
Iision, might be among the dead and thrown
overheard. All the bodies were thrown owe
during the night after the collision